As I walked into the senior living home for the first time, I felt a mix of excitement and sorrow. I was thrilled to have a patient to interact with–to provide support to–which was my role as a hospice volunteer. But when I saw my patient, my excitement faded — I saw her bed-ridden and … Continue reading “A Journey With My Patient”
Author: A Student
The Life-Changing Impact of Hospice Volunteering
Through this wonderful journey as a Hospice volunteer, I have cultivated a memorable bond with my patient, “Michelle”. While visiting her over fifteen times in these past two semesters, I have developed a deep bond with “Michelle”. Whenever I visit her, I am constantly amazed by her passion and determination to talk, make friends, and … Continue reading “The Life-Changing Impact of Hospice Volunteering”
A Learned Perspective
When I first arrived at the care facility, I was afraid. I knew I didn’t and couldn’t understand the weight of what I was about to experience. My first patient was an older woman in the memory care unit. At first, I noticed she shied away from speaking, meeting me overly cheerful “hello” with a … Continue reading “A Learned Perspective”
Listen
The Athena Institute Hospice program has been a transformative experience for a better understanding of patient care and becoming a pillar of support. Before the Hospice program, my idea of patient care was simply to just provide the patient with basic physical needs, but that could not have been further from the truth. The beginning … Continue reading “Listen”
Caring Over Curing: Lessons as a Hospice Volunteer
It was my first experience at the Senior Living Facility. I was excited to finally meet a patient after learning about the intricacies of hospice. I walked up to “David’s” room to find the room empty. The bed was stripped, but all of the belongings were still there. Confused, I went to the front desk … Continue reading “Caring Over Curing: Lessons as a Hospice Volunteer”
Laughter is the Best Medicine
Hospice care is a branch of healthcare that focuses on providing comfort to individuals nearing the end of their lives. During my time volunteering this school year, I had the privilege of spending time with a man who had dementia. This experience profoundly changed my perspective on life and what hospice care can be like. … Continue reading “Laughter is the Best Medicine”
Death in the Context of Living
Before starting hospice, I was admittedly quite nervous. This was not my first experience with hospice, since my grandmother was on hospice before she died in 2019 and my mother worked as a hospice therapist in 2022. Despite being familiar with hospice, I was unaware of internal procedures. I was worried that I might not … Continue reading “Death in the Context of Living”
The Power of Presence
I have spent the past few Sundays with “A.B.” and his wife, observing their love that has endured for over 50 years. Even in the face of illness and extended, multi-month hospice care, their love is strong—based on half a century of memories, unspoken understanding, and the kind of comfort that only comes after a … Continue reading “The Power of Presence”
Finding Meaning in the Final Moments: Lessons from Hospice Care
During my time volunteering with hospice, I formed a particularly meaningful relationship with one of the patients that I got the pleasure of spending time with, an older man with progressive Parkinson’s disease. One of the most profound moments I shared with this patient was when he finally opened up to me after not seeming … Continue reading “Finding Meaning in the Final Moments: Lessons from Hospice Care”
An Inimitable Experience
My experience with the Athena Institute Pre-Med Hospice Volunteer Program has been overwhelmingly positive. I have been blessed with wonderful patients to work with as well as supportive and inspiring mentors to learn from. Upon assuming this position, I was, admittedly, very nervous. I had no prior experience with hospice care and no idea what … Continue reading “An Inimitable Experience”